Chicagoans Thomas, Howard Realize Dreams

June 30, 1994|By Bob Sakamoto, Tribune Staff Writer.

Deon Thomas was watching the National Basketball Association draft Wednesday night at the home of Illinois assistant coach Jimmy Collins when he was selected by the Dallas Mavericks as the first pick of the second round, No. 28 overall.

"Playing in the NBA was definitely a dream for me, and now that dream has come true," said the ex-Simeon All-Stater, who averaged 19.6 points, seven rebounds and was the third player in NCAA history along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Steve Johnson to make 800 field goals and shoot 60 percent in their careers. "I had heard I might go between No. 15 and 20, but I'm satisfied with being No. 28."

Thomas, a former Tribune Mr. Basketball, will play power forward for a rejuvenated Mavericks ballclub that also selected Cal point guard Jason Kidd with the second pick overall and Missouri-Kansas City's swingman Tony Dumas.

"I will definitely like playing with Jason," said the 6-foot-9-inch, 240-pound Thomas, who will battle incumbent power foward Doug Smith for the starting position. "He is a true point guard and is always looking to set up other players with shots. I played against Tony Dumas at the Phoenix draft camp and he is a heck of an athlete.

"(Dallas guard) Jimmy Jackson and I are pretty good friends. We met playing in a McDonald's All-American game and the friendship carried on through college when he went to Ohio State. And with Jamal Mashburn, I think Dallas is the up-and-coming team in the league."

Another of Thomas' high school and college rivals was former Chicago Vocational All-Stater Juwan Howard. As the quiet, inspirational leader of Michigan's Fab Five, Howard always played to his strengths and let the spotlight linger on more colorful teammates like Chris Webber and Jalen Rose.

The 6-foot-9-inch, 250-pound junior was selected fifth by the Washington Bullets, the first power player selected.

Howard's draft stock took a dramatic upswing as the Wolverine junior averaged 28 points and 10.4 rebounds in his final seven college games. That included a career-high 34 points and season-high 18 rebounds in the second round of the NCAA tournament. He had 30 points and 13 rebounds in an Elite Eight loss to Arkansas. Howard's 280 points ranks ninth in NCAA tournament history.

"I have no preference at all," Howard said about whether the Bullets will use him at center or power forward. "I really want to help make the Washington Bullets a great team.

"This is a big change in life. People will always be close to me from Michigan and Ann Arbor. But, it's time for me to move on in my life."

Howard was a third-team All-American and first team all-Big 10 after averaging 20.8 points and nine rebounds a game. He joined ex-Michigan greats Rudy Tomjanovich, Bill Buntin, Roy Tarpley and Glen Rice as the only Wolverines to score 1,500 career points and grab 700 career rebounds.

"Juwan can play with his back to the basket and can shoot from about 16 feet outside," said former Bulls coach and draft analyst Doug Collins. "He plays with a lot of energy and emotion."